Chain grate



May 15, 19.23. 1,455,040

E. L. BROWN, JR

CHAIN GRATEA i l v Filed Jan. 1,0 1920 3 heet-Sheet E' May 15, 1923. 1,455,040

E. L. BROWN, JR v CHAIN GRATE Filed Jan. 1Q, 1920 :s sheets-sheets Patented May 15, 1923.

UNITED sTArEs j or d CHICAGO, rEEINoIs.

CHAIN GRATE. i

- -Applcationiled January 10, 1920;Seria1No..l350,583.

To aZZ whom t may cfmcern:l l u 4Be it known that I, EUGENE L.c Bnowiv, Jr., a .citizen ofthe United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and Stateof Another ob]ect consists inthe provision of anew and improvedgrate bar.

Another object consists in a newand improved form of grate bar supporting mechamsm. f l f These and other'objectswillbe more fully set forth and described in the` following specification and shown inthe accompanying d drawings in which.- i -f l Figure 1 is an end elevation of aportion of a chain grate showing a-pair ofgrate bars in assembled position.` 1 y Fig. 2 isa plan'fview of the same. Y if Fig.l 3 is a plan view of two pairs of grat bars adjacent transverse series, one set bef ing inclined as when roundingthesprocket wheel of the mechanism. Y l

. Fig. is a plan'viewpoffone of the grate bars. .l v

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 6 isanendview of the same. Fig. 7 is a section lalongthe. line- 7-7 Of Flgl. '1 y* z Fig. 8 is a perspective of one vof the locking 'keys Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view, partly in 40 section of .a chain grate constructedinac cordance withthe present invention, Vshowinfr the sainein its travel over onel vof. the

rezr sprocket wheels.

Like numerals refer to;l like elements throughout the drawings, in which. 10. indicates one ofthe linksyof the drive .chains which coact with the sprocket wheels, one of I which is shown at `:15. Each of these links 10 comprises rearwardly yextending. lugs 10a and the forwardly'projecting lug 10b.. These chain links are `also provided'with transversely extending iianges or lugs 10c the inner Walls thereof converging downwardly to forma taperedvl seat, the lugsbeing 'trains-l.

versely apertured, asfindicated `by numeral 10d, these. apertures beino' elongated as shown. in Fig. 1, for example. 4 orlned on-the inner 1' face `ofg'one'of theflanges l()c ofi each pair is the groove 108,'for a purposeftobe :liereinafe ter described? *Coacting with and extending` between l the Achain links 10 are thev ytrans- I verse supporting bars 11, each of said bars being providedwith a pluralityof doveta'i'l grooves 11?,.the sidewalls -of-vvhich converge to forni` tapered seats. Cutror otherwise EUGENE L. Enowiv, JE.,0ECEICAG0, ILLii'roIs, iissieivoafro E.'"ESPENGEEGEEEE,

formed 'in each ofthe seats llavis akey-way or vertex 11d, see Fig. 7 i.

' ."Coactin'g wit-hand lcarriedy by.V the trans- `111?, the bottom 11c thereof beinginclined slightly adjacentl one endtoform the edge vers'esupporting bars 11 are the. grate bars 12, each of said bars being provided with a central portion .12? and relatively offsetopl. i

positelyprojecting arms 129,712?. .iThe-oset arms 12b, 12 are .provided `with inclined slots or grooves 12.e in'the sidesv thereofato afford draft passages to the fuelsupported upon the grate. l Each. of the grate bars12 is provided on its under side witha tongue 12f` tapered asshown in Fig. 6, for example,

andnadapted tof fit; the seat v11a beingrestrainedy from passing entirely through. said seat; by the, tapered construction, as will'be obvious. To lock and secure thevgrate bars to--thesupporting bars I;y provide'keys 141, cach of which. is, provided with upwardly extending shoulderswldf, 141 and downwardly extending .shoulder 14C. In the assembling'of thefgrate these keys are. seated inthe key4ways preferably-- as shown in Fig.

2, fory exam-ple, The tonguey 12f ofthe grate bar is then moved-v intoitsseat overthey i shoulder-14"` of the-key, the-inclined bottom portion'of thelkey-way llpermitting tiltingo-f thek'ey A14 upon the edge 11d until -the bottoni of the tongue 12 strikes the body of 'silient metal, .such.asfspringfsteeh about the i edge .11% ythesides ofthe seat 11a prevent-` ing. upward movement of the gratebar. As

soon` as :the -tongue .12 has been 4vdriven over the shoulder'lllof the key.y 14, thelatterwill spring back to normal position, as shown in Fig. 7, thereby locking the bar in its seated position, the shoulders 14, 14h as Well as the taperedconstruction of the-seat 11L and tongue. 12f preventing displacement of the bars in one direction, While.. the. shoulder 14? will, prevent movement otthe.

bar yin the other direction, as Willbeobvil ous. This construction enables ready as# seinbly of the grate proper and should son-e ofv the bars thereof become broken or its replacement become necessary.` forany othenreason when' .asharp blovv thereon/Willeither break the key'or bend lthe same sufcientlyto perF mit. removal off the brokenlink by sliding it. ofi?v its-seat, as Willfbe apparent; l/Vhile either endlof the 4key mayv be broken or-'bent inthis lWay, it is, of course, preferable to attack the shoulder 14D' as this will! per# mit bending-of the key'about'the edge 11@i andithere is .noslroulderi on1the under side to interfere With such bending.

Slt will 4be understood that the chainlink .l0-'are provided with Similar vseats land key- Ways to. accommodate `grate bars.

vTo; guard against injury of the grate mechanism, should one of thetransverse supporting bars- 11-beeome` broken, I con-A struct the same With the ends thereof ytapered; as indicated by numeral 11k-5' a ribor lug 11i being formedon one side-thereof tonfi't. inthe groove 10@ of chain link 10, the supportingf member being vprovidedl with. a transverse hole or aperture 11k to valine With the apertures 10d' to perm-itI driving. ofa 1 fas tening` pin or.v the like therethrough. rllhe ends lllfof the supporting membervll are taperedto-provide a Wedging-fit With-the lugs-10C, the elongatedaperture y10d 'in such li'igs insuring alinement of :the aperture A 11k therewith.` Should one ofv the supporting members 11 break intermediate its extremi# ties.- the tapered construction at theend, to# getlierwiththe engagement ofthe rib. orilug 11i. Witlrthegroove 109;, itfwillpreventfdroppingot'vthe broken endiand thereby impair@I ment of th-estoker mechanism.r The links 10 composing ythe side drive chainsl (see Fig, 9) obviously need onlyf'be-p-rovided'- with one pair. of lug-s 10,` While` the: links of intermediate chains 'will have two pairs o-tlugs 1.0,one'on each side thereof" as shown in Figs.l 1 and "2.

l have shown. inF ig. B'fth'e o fsettin-gro the arms 12b, 12 ofthe grate bars to per:- mit the fittinrgtherebetween of correspond-v ing farms of adjacent setsfof lbars as Will'be readily understoodby. those 'ski'lledfir'i`r the art.y

It will be apparent that my invention is susceptible of numerous modifications and improvements-and l do not lWish-to be re-y strictedito the form sho'ivn lexcept as defined inthe appended claims.

lfVhatI. claim .is

`1. l*y i aohain grateya supporting member,

saidsupporting member having a tapered seat,l grate bar having a tapered portion engageable With said tapered seat, and

sprirrgfmeans-toelonksaid bar in seated position.

2. In a chaingrate-,I asupportinginernberf,L said: supporting `mem-ber having a tapered seat; ai grate `barhaving a taperedportion engageable WithA said tapered seat5 kand spring means to lock saidbar in seatedpo-y 'r sition, said? lz'istfna'm-edV means-.comprising a key.

3.* In' a chainxgrate, asupporting member, said'supporting memberv having a. tapered sea-t5l al grate barfhaving` a taperedportion A* engageable -with said tapered seat, and means to `locksaid bar in seated position, saidlast named means comprising a keyy of resilient materia-l having portions engagea-ble with said bar and=saidsupporting-memberupon f terial located in said key-'Waysandhaving a shoulder-portion engage-able with saidv bar andaportion engageable-=vvith .said supporting member upon movement of said bar yinto operativefpositione, f

5. In a chain grate; a chainlinlna transverse supporting bar," saidiink being. provided With spaced apart lugs, said supporti ing bar itting between saidlugs, .saidlugs andv said ybar` being Aprovided f With an interfittingfgroove and Y*lug 6. ln a chain grate, a chain link,.a.-t'rans verse supporting bar, said a' link .being provided With spaced apart lugs, said supportf ing .f barffitting'l between a said: lugs, saidf ylugs and i said barA beingf provided with: anfintertting groove and lug,y said f chain link and supporting bar 1 being provided" with f. trans,- verse alining apertures. andlfastening means extending `through th'eflatter:

7.' In al'chiain vgrataachainverse supporting biarrsaidilink being provided w-ith space'dw apartf lugs; .said support.L ingy bar'. -iitting` between s said; lugs. v` said;l lugs and said'. "bari being f provided with f an inter:n tilt/ting;grooveandl lug, saidwichain link and supportingrbar being-'provided' with transverse ialinin'grapertures-'andfastening means extendingzthrough ;.the,la-tter,y the aperture. in

link, a; trans- 1,455,040 i y' zal said chain link being elongated to insure 9.v In a chain grate,1a chain link having alinement with the aperture in said supportspaced apart lugs, the adjacent surfaces of ing member. said lugs converging downwardly to pro- 15 '8.` In a chain grate, a chain link having vide a tapered space therebetween, a sup- 5 spaced apart lugs, the adjacent surfaces of porting member having a tapered extremity said lugs converging downwardly to provide fitting in the space between saidlugs, one a tapered space therebetween, a supporting of said lugs being provided with a groove, member having a tapered extremity fitting said supporting member being provided 20` in the space between said lugs, transverse with a coacting lug to iit in said groove. 10 apertures extending through said member In testimony whereof, I have subscribed and lugs, and fastening means extending my name.

' EUGENE L. BROWN, JR.

through the latter. 

